Free Gaza Rally – Friday, July 25

End the siege in Gaza! End the bloodshed! End the occupation! End Israeli apartheid! End US complicity!

In light of ongoing events in the Gaza Strip, a coalition of Utica activists will descend upon the Memorial Parkway in front of the Baron von Steuben statue at the intersection with Genesee Street in South Utica.

About the Rally

The rally, in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, resulting from the current Israeli military incursion, Operation Protective Edge, will commence at 5 PM on Friday July, 25th. Among those involved are Occupy Utica, The Mohawk Valley Freedom School, The Green Party of Oneida and Herkimer Counties, local Palestinian refugees and other community action groups. This protest will also be carried out in conjunction with others like it in cities around the world.

About the Cause

While recognizing the State of Israel’s right to defend itself, international opposition to their policies toward Palestine has grown for decades. Among those policies most contested are the overwhelming military responses to alleged Palestinian provocations; Israel’s “collective punishment” philosophy, which involves a deliberate policy designed to punish the entire population of Gaza; the disparity in Israeli versus Palestinian firepower (Israel’s is the 11th largest military in the world, Palestinians have no military); Israel’s controversial apartheid policies against Palestinians; the death toll from Operation Protective Edge, which stands at over 400 as of the writing of this press release (with up to 80 percent of those deaths being civilian according to The Guardian); the use of banned/illegal/controversial weapons (white phosphorous, DIME munitions); the continued and illegal seizure of Palestinian land, property and assets; the continued denial of a viable economy from being formed in Palestine; Israel’s embargo against goods reaching Palestine; the diversion of 80 percent of Palestine’s fresh water resources into Israel.

The rally will be held as part of a growing international call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, as well as the recognition of Palestine’s borders which make Israeli settlements illegal, the repeal of apartheid policies in Israel and recognition of Palestinian right to self-determination and human rights.

There is no position being taken on justifying either side’s violence, however with Israel’s enormous historic disparity in the ability to carry out destruction, as well as casualties inflicted, with significant US military aid, the State of Israel must be held accountable for the violation of dozens of internationally recognized treaties and laws.

Since 2000, over 6,000 Palestinians have been victims of the Israeli military – most of them, civilians. With the 600+ deaths in the last few weeks, and over 90 in the city of Shujaiya alone, this most recent Israeli offensive has been one of the most destructive yet.

– written by Derek Scarlino (with additions from Brendan Dunn)

Contact For more information and if you are interested in getting involved with a local Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign against Israel, please contact, Brendan Maslauskas Dunn – maslauskas84@gmail.com, 315 240-3149